


A Softer World

by plingo_kat



Category: Tron (1982), Tron (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-26
Updated: 2011-03-26
Packaged: 2017-10-17 07:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/174203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plingo_kat/pseuds/plingo_kat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fic for one of the "A Softer World" remixes:</p><p><em>when the government outlaws sex<br/>i will kill the President<br/>i will burn the flag<br/>i will touch you where you need</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	A Softer World

**Author's Note:**

> [Go here](http://everythingballooned.tumblr.com/post/4102872754/i-feel-like-i-cant-really-do-this-text-justice) to see the awesomeness that [everythingballooned](http://everythingballooned.tumblr.com/) has made. Also yes, my title is very imaginative, deal with it.

There's rioting in the streets, protesters all over the news, guest stars on all channels and foreign nations getting in on the action. Kevin Flynn thinks that maybe the United States government as a whole has finally gone crazy, and holes up with his projects and the Grid, determined to make a difference. Also there's young Sam to consider; he can't go out there, with the police out in force with riot shields and protests turning into mobs wielding fire, get run over or hit in the head or tripped and trampled and never come home. He can't.

So he stays inside, shuts down the arcade, waits it out. He has his computer and his son, and this has to blow over eventually.

He also has Alan.

 

When it all starts they are working late at Encom, as has become their habit; Lora throws up her hands at the obsessiveness of her friends. She and Alan didn't work out, especially since Kevin monopolizes all of Alan's time these days -- he should feel guilty but he can't, especially since when he looks at Alan and sees a faithful friend overlaid with pale blue circuits and lightning quick reflexes, a dependable hero Kevin can count on. Alan hasn't let him down, just like Tron didn't, and maybe that's kind of messed up, to compare a man in real life to a computer program, but Alan wrote Tron so Tron is Alan and Alan is Tron, and in any case they work so it isn't a problem.

But yes, the beginning. It's Friday night and there's a television running on low in the background of Kevin's office; he's used to the muffled thump of arcade music or the quiet noises of Sam and his parents around the house, can't work without noise to occupy his brain. Alan doesn't mind, can tune it out, so Kevin installs a TV in the place and runs it all the time. Besides, occasionally he even catches important things on the news, or maybe picks up a new recipe to take home to Mom. It's all good, no downsides.

Even this time.

A sudden swell of music catches his attention, quickly followed by the faint roar of an angry crowd. Keven glances up, just to check, and his attention is caught by the word "sex" -- so yes, fine, he admits he's a fifteen year old boy at heart. But then he reads the rest of the headline and grabs for the remote.

"Hey, Bradley," he says. "Look at the television, man."

"--announced that sex is illegal," the anchorman says with raised eyebrows, as if he can't really believe it himself. "What this will mean for the country has yet to be determined--"

"What?" Alan says, glasses askew and eyes confused. He pushes up on the bridge of the frames on his face, runs a hand through his hair. "I didn't actually hear that, right?"

"You did, man, you did." Kevin is picking up his phone and dialing home, then looks at his watch and reconsiders. "Hey, I'm going to head home and see if my folks have heard about this, see if it's real or a hoax. You want to wrap this up and finish tomorrow?"

Alan nods, gather up his own coat. "Oh," he says sheepishly, just as they're about to go out the door. "Lora drove me to work today because my car is in the shop. Could you--?"

"Yeah, hey, no problem," says Kevin, impatient and bouncing on his feet as they wait for the elevator. "Maybe -- yeah, this is a good idea -- since it's a weekend anyway, why don't you just crash with us? We can both find out about this whole sex thing," here he grins because fifteen year old boy (Alan rolls his eyes), "and we can finish coding too. I've got this great computer at home, top of the line."

"I wouldn't want to put you out," Alan says.

"You won't, man, you won't," Kevin says, "Come on, it'll be fun."

Alan laughs and acquiesces, looking amused and frustrated, just like he always does. "Okay, Flynn," he says. "Okay."

"Great," Kevin says. The elevator finally arrives. "This will be great, you'll see."

 

It isn't. The next morning's seven o'clock news begins with the protests and ends with buildings on fire, and outside the house Kevin can hear the faint sounds of shouting. Alan lives alone, and when he mentions it Mom insists he stay with them. Kevin is all for that; he doesn't want to see Alan hurt, and they get so much more done together than apart. Maybe after living with the guy Kevin can even trust him with the Grid, get him to convince Lora to use her laser again. Once he programs an easy way out, of course. Last time it wasn't such a smooth trip.

God, it'll be hilarious to see Alan meet Tron.

"Do you think they'll repeal it?" Alan asks.

"Got to," Kevin says around a bite of pasta, mouth full. He chews and swallows before continuing. "How are they going to enforce it, huh? Big Brother style? No way. Besides, what's gonna happen to the population? We can't grow babies in test tubes." He casts a fond look at Sam, who's mashing happily at his baby food with a small plastic spoon.

Alan grunts and digs into his own pasta. Kevin stares. He'd think Alan would be all for Kevin's side of the argument, but he's suspiciously quiet.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What?" Alan looks up. "Nothing. I agree."

"You aren't being prudish or anything, are you? A young healthy red-blooded guy like you?" Kevin is ribbing him, more than he ever has before, but he can't stop. Alan pushes him to new heights, always, in everything.

"No!" Alan glares, and -- yeah, god, actually _blushes_. Too good. "I think it's moronic, is what it is. They shouldn't be meddling in our personal lives."

That is one fierce scowl, Kevin thinks, and says so. Is Alan particularly invested in this, somehow?

"Of course not," Alan says, looking guilty. "Lora and I broke up. I don't have anyone in my life right now." He stares at Kevin. "Not really."

Kevin blinks, unsure of how to answer. "Cheer up," he decides, standing to grab a drink and clap Alan on the shoulder. "You want some soda?"

“No,” Alan sighs. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” says Kevin doubtfully, but doesn’t push. He can be tactful.

What? He can.

 

In the end, it does blow over. Whatever temporary insanity seems to grip those in power drains away, and there are sheepish apologies for a couple weeks before things go back to normal. Kevin doesn’t tell Alan about the Grid, but does get to know the other man better. He knows that Alan is secretly a slob (it shows, even when he tries to be good and pick up after himself) and isn’t actually shy, just unswervingly polite. He learns that Alan will forget his glasses in the bathroom, likes burnt toast, and that he smells faintly of dry autumn leaves (they lean over the computer together, that’s all). He learns he likes the casual brush of Alan’s fingers over his arm, the faint tickle of Alan’s breath behind his ear as they code together in the dark hours of the morning.

He finds himself looking at Alan more, and catches him looking back.

After that, everything just goes up.

...In more ways than one.

(Hey, there was fair warning before, okay? Fifteen year old boy.)


End file.
